Ignition // Anne Sallow X Ominis Gaunt

Chapter 25: Made Of Fire

Ominis - Abandoned Bandit Camp

The  breeze of the Forbidden Forest gently caressed my face as the ancient magic window closed behind me. A mongrel howled in the distance, while a few deer walked along the outer edge of the camp.

It's almost as if they know not to enter.

Despite the circumstances, the setting was peaceful. Soothing to my worried mind.

"A map buried below the camp," I said, sensing the holes throughout the camp. Clearly, they were unsuccessful. 

Yet, all of the holes seemed to be the same depth. Did the ground harden too much after a certain point? 

Or did something prevent them from digging any further?

I put the thoughts aside for the moment. A job needed to be done before investigating. "Revelio Maxima." My wand sensed three spots that would explode if any pressure were to be applied. The spell expanded beyond the camp, sensing the creatures that lurked miles away. My spell picked up a certain fox, sprinting. I smiled to myself, glad to feel a familiar presence in the woods beyond.

"Bombarda!" I casted to one spot, setting off the explosion. Twice more to the others.

My wand wandered around the camp again.

No more explosives.

I cautiously continued walking throughout the camp. Doing my best to sense any danger around me, while simultaneously looking for this map buried beneath the earth.

I stepped on a rock, breaking it in two. Two arrows shot from thin air towards me. I swiftly moved away out of the way, hearing them the moment they appeared.

"This blasted map better be worth it," I grumbled, continuing my journey through the camp.

I walked. And scoured. I rummaged through every tent. I tore through every paper there was left behind at the camp.

There was no map.

"Dammit," I cursed towards myself, entering the last tent I hadn't checked yet. "Revelio."

Nothing.

I expected there to be nothing, but a part of me remained hopeful. I headed towards the table, allowing my wand to guide my investigating. The table was littered with parchment. Letters to other camps, and others were clues looking for this map. Mainly maps of this camp, and pictures saying 'buried below the earth...'

I allowed my fingers to run over the parchments, desperate for any clues I can get. Buried below the earth, each parchment repeated. No other signs. No other clues. 

"Dammit!" I slammed my fist onto the table, directly onto a bent nail in the wood, "Fuck!" I shouted as my blood splattered onto the parchment.

In a fury, I grabbed my handkerchief from my pocket, wrapping it around my bleeding hand. My anger simmered as the parchment in front of me began to crinkle. It sounded like someone was writing on it. I stilled myself, waiting for the writing to stop. I picked up my wand once again, and hovered it over the parchment, holding my breath at the messaged that had appeared.

'Buried below the earth... the heir of Slytherin shall find the door.'

"The heir of Slytherin shall find the door," I repeated out loud to myself. "Find the door? Find the door..." I stood up, now trying to sense anything resembling a door under the grass. "Revelio."

Nothing.

Defeated, I walked towards the exit of the tent. Too annoyed by my frustration the first time I entered, I noticed how hollow my footstep sounded compared to the others.